ASHRAE Research 2011-2012 Campaign

We would like to extend a very sincere THANK YOU to all of our donors. It is because of your dedication and generosity that we are able to support the research of tomorrow, TODAY!

It is the research program that sets ASHRAE apart from other professional societies and associations of its kind. ASHRAE’s Handbook series, technical programs, standards, and special publications all utilize the results of Research.

Make your contribution to the 2011-2012 campaign online today: https://xp20.ashrae.org/secure/researchpromotion/rp.html


Read the ASHRAE Research Strategic Plan 2010-2015 here: http://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/docLib/Public/20100621_strategicnavigationbrochure.pdf


If you have questions regarding ASHRAE Research, Education (ASHRAE Learning Institute), ASHRAE Foundation, or General Fund for special projects and programs, please contact your 2011-2012 Chapter RP Chair: David Landers at 425-456-2381 or david.landers@pse.com.


2010-2011 Donor Recognition
Honor Roll donors from the 2010-2011 campaign were recognized at our December 14 chapter meeting. More than 50 donors from the Puget Sound Chapter contributed more than $29,000 to ASHRAE Research during last year’s campaign.

ASHRAE - Government Affairs Update

Good day and welcome to ASHRAE's Government Affairs Update! Along with the Government Affairs Webpage, these periodic Email updates feature information on government affairs-related activities of interest to ASHRAE members and others interested in the built environment. Archives of previous updates are available from the Government Affairs Webpage (http://www.ashrae.org/government-affairs). 

Please pass this information on to interested colleagues who also may subscribe from the ASHRAE Government Affairs Webpage. 

If you have any recommendations regarding content, or have questions about or would like to participate in Washington Office activities, please contact ASHRAE Government Affairs staff at (202) 833-1830 or washdc@ashrae.org. 

ASHRAE Government Affairs Update, 1/27/2012

• New Website for Government Affairs Office
• Grassroots Activities – Regions, Chapters, and Members – Are Indispensible to Realizing Positive Public Policy
• Available Now! ASHRAE Issues Update Seminar: U.S. State Building Energy Codes Legislation and Regulations
• Building Energy Efficiency Spotlighted in President Obama’s State of the Union Address
• Congress Returns – Energy and Funding Issues Likely Contentious Hotspots as Elections Near

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New Website for Government Affairs Office

In keeping with ASHRAE’s recent rebranding, announced during the Winter Meeting, the Government Affairs website has a new look – and a new URL. When you visit http://www.ashrae.org/government-affairs, you’ll find an easier-to-navigate, one-stop-shop resource to meet your ASHRAE public policy needs. From Capitol Hill to the city council, we’ve got you covered – and keep your eyes peeled in the weeks and months to come for updates, new material, and more.

Grassroots Activities – Regions, Chapters, and Members – Are Indispensable to Realizing Positive Public Policy

To date (January 25), 33 of the 47 legislatures (including the District of Columbia’s Council) meeting in regular session this year – the legislatures in Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas are not slated to meet in 2012 – have convened and are already discussing measures of import to ASHRAE at both a Society and chapter level – and at a stunning rate. Through utilization of a new monitoring service, nearly 800 bills have been pinpointed by ASHRAE Government Affairs staff as relating to building energy codes and standards; “green” building; engineer licensure; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; indoor air quality; “smart grid”; and more – all issues of interest to ASHRAE members.

However, success at the grassroots level requires that communication be a two-way street. While staff can serve as a clearinghouse and dissemination point of policy information in the states, provinces, or localities, we need your help in tracking what is going on – especially relative to proposed code changes or issues regularly taken up by state agencies or boards (e.g., PE licensure, continuing education). What works in Kentucky may work in Minnesota, so Government Affairs staff must be kept abreast of the goings-on so that we can provide you with the appropriate tools, contacts, coalition partners, etc., to stimulate adoption of pro-ASHRAE public policy.

This is a great means by which ASHRAE staff can help ASHRAE members “on the ground” to be kept up-to-speed on these issues. Not only is this a way for ASHRAE members to become engaged in the public policy process, but it presents a terrific opportunity for personal and professional development; you can take part in effecting positive change while, making yourself more valuable as a technical and policy expert within your community and within your firm/organization – and within your ASHRAE chapter.

If you would like to become a more complete ASHRAE member, please consider becoming a grassroots “champion.” To learn more and to be brought up-to-date on policy concerns of the greatest import to the HVAC&R professionals in your area, please contact the Government Affairs Office at washdc@ashrae.org or call (202) 833-1830 and ask for Mark Wills (Manager, State and Local Government Affairs).

Available Now! ASHRAE Issues Update Seminar: U.S. State Building Energy Codes Legislation and Regulations

Just days ago four regional experts presented on U.S. building energy codes legislation and regulation at ASHRAE’s Winter Conference in Chicago, Illinois. You can listen to and view their presentations on timely issues of interest to ASHRAE members at http://ashraem.confex.com/ashraem/sessiontechprogram.cgi?username=6194&password=114008&wrfredirect=0

In addition to the Issues Update Seminar, there are some 200 plus presentations available for on-demand viewing in the ASHRAE Chicago Virtual Conference.  To view the technical program, which was presented Sunday, Jan. 22, through Wednesday, Jan. 25, go to www.ashrae.org/ChicagoOnline.

For more information or to purchase the Chicago Virtual Conference $484 ($299, ASHRAE member, company registrations available, too), go to www.ashrae.org/ChicagoVirtual.

Building Energy Efficiency Spotlighted in President Obama’s State of the Union Address

President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address to Congress this past Tuesday. In his address, the President outlined his policy priorities in his so-called “Blueprint for America Built to Last”, which includes increasing building energy efficiency.

“Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy.  So here’s a proposal:  Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.  Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, more jobs for construction workers who need them”, said the President during the address.

To view the transcript of President Obama’s remarks, visit http://1.usa.gov/wknYk5

To view President Obama’s policy blueprint, which contains more detailed proposals, visit http://1.usa.gov/Ao8iI5

Congress Returns – Energy and Funding Issues Likely Contentious Hotspots as Elections Near

House and Senate members have returned to Washington, DC and are now determining the issues that will be tackled this year, as Democrats and Republicans prepare for the coming November elections, in which all House members and one-third of the Senate are up for reelection.

Among those issues that will likely be addressed this year is building energy efficiency, which could come in the form of the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S.1000) – a bill that ASHRAE has been closely working on. Even if S.1000 passes the Senate, it is unlikely to make it through the House; however this bill is likely to set the stage for future legislation, and is thus worth close attention.

Federal funding and the continuing debt crisis are also on the list of contentious issues this year. On February 13, President Obama is expected to release his budget request to Congress for fiscal year 2013. Although scant details are available on this statement of the Administration’s priorities, it is largely considered dead on arrival in Congress, as the Republican-controlled House will press forward with Republican’s own vision for the country.

The release of the President’s budget request kick-starts the budget and funding season in Congress, which is forecasted to result in gridlock at least until the November elections, as philosophical and priority differences persist between Democrats and Republicans. Ultimately, the ability of Members of Congress to reach agreement will determine many things, including how active federal agencies are able to be in areas such as building energy efficiency, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

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ASHRAE Washington Office
1828 L Street, NW * Suite 810 * Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-1830 * fax: (202) 833-0118 * washdc@ashrae.org
http://www.ashrae.org/government-affairs

ASHRAE - 2011 Green Standard

For Release:

Jan. 30, 2012

Contact: Jodi Scott

Public Relations

678-539-1140

jscott@ashrae.org

Standard Features Energy Savings

2011 version of the Green Standard Now Available from ASHRAE, USGBC, IES

ATLANTA – Changes to help make buildings and systems more sustainable are part of the newly published version of the high performance green building standard from ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)

ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2011, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, provides a green building foundation for those who strive to design, build and operate high performance buildings. It covers key topic areas of site sustainability, water-use efficiency, energy ef¬ficiency, indoor environmental quality and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources.  When first introduced in 2009, the standard was the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States.

“Since Standard 189.1 was first published, we have received much input from the industry offering suggestions on how to strengthen it in all areas,” chair Dennis Stanke said. “This 2011 version incorporates much of that input. More importantly, the 2011 version incorporates updated connections to its referenced standards – primarily ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010 and ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1-2010. Compliance with these updated provisions will result in further improvements to indoor environmental quality, while further reducing energy use and environmental impact through high-performance building design, construction and operation.”

The most significant change in energy-related provisions results from new requirements in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, adding to and superseding requirements in the 2007 version. In October 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy found that the 2010 version of Standard 90.1 contains significant energy savings over the 2007 standard. The energy savings in the Standard 90.1-2010 provisions also result in energy savings for building projects complying with Standard 189.1, according to Stanke.

In addition, mandatory and prescriptive renewable energy requirements were clarified to reduce confusion and simplify calculations; now both mandatory provisions to prepare for on-site renewable energy and provisions to produce prescribed levels of renewable energy must be met. Additionally, buildings that meet the prescriptive requirement for renewable energy production are now deemed to comply with the mandatory requirement for renewable energy site-preparation.

The standard also updates the performance option for energy efficiency (Appendix D) so that it refers to Appendix G of Standard 90.1-2010, which is now a normative appendix. Appendix G of 90.1 applies to projects seeking to reduce annual energy cost more than would be possible by merely meeting the requirements of that standard.  Appendix D in Standard 189.1, on the other hand, provides a performance option for compliance as an alternative to the less-complex prescriptive option; it must show that the project design results in annual energy cost equal to or less than would be possible by meeting the mandatory plus prescriptive requirements of the standard, according to Stanke.

Additional changes to the 2011 standard include:

•       More stringent Lighting Power Density allowances due to the change in reference to Standard 90.1-2010.   Both interior and exterior values are now set as a percentage of the Standard 90.1 allowances, based on building, space or area type.

•       Automatic controls are now required for lighted signs visible during daytime hours; controls must reduce the lighting power to 35 percent of full power. For other outdoor signs, automatic controls must now turn off lighting during daytime hours and reduce the lighting power to 70 percent of full power after midnight.

•        Open-graded (uniformed size) aggregate and porous pavers (e.g., open-grid pavers) qualify as a hardscape surface for heat island mitigation with no further testing.  Permeable pavement and permeable pavers must meet a minimum percolation rate rather than a minimum solar reflectance index (SRI).

Standard 189.1 is currently a jurisdictional compliance option in the International Green Construction Code developed by the International Code Council, ASTM International and the American Institute of Architects.

The cost of ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2011, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, $119 ($99 ASHRAE members).

To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Contact Center at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), fax 404-321-5478, or visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

Betterbricks

BUSINESS CALENDAR ADVISORY

9th ANNUAL BETTERBRICKS AWARDS RETURN TO PORTLAND

Keynote speaker, David Bragdon, Director of New York Mayor Bloomberg’s Office of Long-Term Planning & Sustainability and former Metro Council President, to address event honoring champions of high performance buildings

WHO:                  BetterBricks, the commercial building initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, hosts this annual event to celebrate the champions of energy efficient, high performance commercial buildings. Sponsors include Energy Trust of Oregon, Heritage Bank and Stoel Rives.

WHAT:                The BetterBricks Awards recognize design engineers, developers, building owners, building operators, facility managers or other building professionals for their support, use and design of sustainable commercial buildings with a special emphasis on energy efficiency. BetterBricks winners will be recognized in multiple categories, focusing on the people behind the best projects in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Keynote Speaker: David Bragdon, Director of Mayor Bloomberg’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability and former Metro Council President.  David Bragdon was hired in September 2010  by Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City to head the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, the unit of City government which produces and monitors implementation of PlaNYC, the Bloomberg Administration's 132-initiative strategy for making New York City a greater and greener place. Hallmarks of PlaNYC include the conversion of Times Square to a pedestrian plaza and extensive growth in the parks network. In terms of building management and energy conservation, PlaNYC accomplishments include a citywide benchmarking and disclosure requirement for all buildings over 15,000 square meters, new solar tax abatements and expedited review process, over 200 retrofits of municipal properties and the creation of the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, capitalized with $37 million in federal stimulus dollars and designed to finance credit enhancements for private building retrofits.  Prior to his position with the Bloomberg Administration, David was Metro Council President in Portland.

WHEN:                Thursday, February 9, 2012

Breakfast

7:30 to 9 a.m.

$45 per ticket

$400 for a table of 10

WHERE:              Hilton Portland & Executive Tower

                             921 Southwest Sixth Avenue, Portland, Ore.

REGISTER:          http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/event/56341

BetterBricks is the commercial building initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), which is supported by Northwest electric utilities.  Through BetterBricks, NEEA advances ideas to accelerate energy savings in new and existing commercial buildings.  BetterBricks education & training, online resources and recognition of industry leaders guide and inspire building professionals to embrace best practices, improve energy performance and achieve their sustainability goals.  Visit www.BetterBricks.com to connect to these powerful energy ideas and more. 

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 CONTACT:

Kyle Stuart Account Manager  Coates Kokes

421 southwest sixth avenue, suite 1300 | portland, oregon 97204

t: 503.241.1124   f: 503.241.1326  e: kyle@coateskokes.com

ASHRAE - President's Message

My fellow ASHRAE members, I have some exciting news to share regarding a rebranding of our great Society. For more than 100 years, ASHRAE has provided guidance for HVAC&R. As time and technology have changed, so has ASHRAE, moving from focusing solely on HVAC&R to providing guidance for total building design, reconstruction, construction and operation. In recognition of this evolution, ASHRAE is making some changes regarding how we brand the Society. Our promise for sustainability encourages us to improve the quality in the built environment while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. The new ASHRAE brand supports our focus on improving engineering standards and our market position as a community of engineers and related professionals united by knowledge, mission and a code of ethics to design, construct and operate better places for people to live, work and play. First, and most visible, is a refreshening of the ASHRAE logo. Market research showed us that the logo had a dated brand presence (the logo was created in 1959 to recognize the merger between The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers and the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers) and that we needed a more modern look that fully reflects the evolving structure of the Society and our aspirations. Along with this logo, we have created an ASHRAE Logo Guide document to ensure that we maintain a consistent brand image. In addition, we have created a tagline to help explain to outside audiences the expanded role of ASHRAE in the world around us. “Shaping Tomorrow’s Built Environment Today” presents ASHRAE as the dynamic and innovative Society it is today and promises our members, the industry and the world that whatever the future brings in the built community, ASHRAE will be at the forefront for research and guidance. Lastly, we are doing business as “ASHRAE” vs. using our full legal name of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Use of ASHRAE reflects our global membership and that our services will continue evolving globally. In addition, the rebranding coincides with a redesign of ASHRAE.org. With this redesign comes better navigation, a better search engine and better tracking, all of which will help you find the information you need whether it’s for your role in the industry or ASHRAE. An announcement regarding the rebranding was made today at the Society’s 2012 Winter Conference being held in Chicago. We also shared an inspirational video with the audience that tells the story of ASHRAE. You can view the video here. Following the Conference, we will provide additional guidance and information for our grassroots regions, chapters and student braches on how this change impacts how these groups conduct business. In addition, we have created a Frequently Asked Questions document that provides answers to some of the questions you may have. This is an exciting time for our Society! I look forward to working with you and our more than 52,000 members around the world to shape tomorrow’s built environment today. Thank you. Ron Jarnagin 2011–12 ASHRAE President

ASHRAE - 2012 Membership Awards

For Release:                                          
Jan. 21, 2012                                                   

Contact: Amanda Dean
Public Relations
678-539-1216
adean@ashrae.org

ASHRAE Recognizes Outstanding HVAC&R Industry Achievements

CHICAGO– Thirty-six people are being recognized by ASHRAE for their contributions to the Society and the building industry at the Society’s 2012 Winter Conference held here Jan. 21-25.


The Hall of Fame, honors deceased members of the Society who have made milestone contributions to the growth of HVAC&R technology.


The recipient is Presidential Member Roderick Kirkwood, Fellow ASHRAE, Life Member.

Fellow ASHRAE is a membership grade that recognizes distinction in the arts and sciences of environmental technology and is earned through achievement as a researcher, designer, educator or engineering executive. The Society elevated 13 members to the grade of Fellow ASHRAE:
•Constantinos Balaras is research director, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Greece.
•Van Baxter is senior research and development engineer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
•Vin Gupta is senior principal engineer, 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.
•Mark Modera is professor, civil environmental engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and director, Western Cooling Efficiency Center, University of California at Davis.
•Darin Nutter is associate professor of mechanical engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
•Tom Phoenix is principal and vice president, Moser Mayer Phoenix Associates, Greensboro, N.C.
•Arshad Sheikh is owner/principal consultant, SES Consulting Engineers, Lahore, Pakistan.
•Edward Vineyard is group leader, building equipment research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
•Iain Walker is scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif.
•Brian Warwicker is consultant, Brian Warwicker Partnership, Ltd., London, U.K.
•Bill Worek is professor and director, Energy Technology Laboratory, University of Illinois-Chicago
•Xudong Yang is Chang-Jiang professor and deputy director, Institute of Built Environment, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
•Jianshun Zhang is professor and director, building energy and environmental systems lab, department of mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognize outstanding achievements by members who have successfully applied innovative building designs, which incorporate ASHRAE standards for effective energy management and indoor air quality. Six projects received first-place ASHRAE Technology Awards:
•Roland Charneux, P.Eng., ASHRAE Fellow, ASHRAE Certified Healthcare Facility Design Professional, Pageau Morel & Associates, Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the new commercial buildings category for Mountain Equipment Co-op, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada. The building is owned by the co-op
•Ken Sonmor, Ecovision Consulting, Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the existing commercial buildings category for the IKEA Brossard Distribution Center, Quebec, Canada. The building is owned by IKEA Distribution Services.
•René Dansereau, Dessau, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada the new educational facilities category for the Université de Sherbrooke—Campus de Longueuil, Quebec, Canada. The building is owned by the university.
•Paul Marmion, Stantec Consulting, Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in the new health care facilities category for Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, British Columbia, Canada. The building is sponsored by Laing Investments Management Services and owned by the hospital.
•Blake Ellis, P.E., Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Mo. in the new industrial facilities or professes category for thermal energy storage at Texas Meidcal Center, Houston, Texas. The owner is Thermal Energy Corp.
•Luc Simard, Compressor Systems Control (CSC), Inc., Les Coteaux, Quebec, Canada in the existing industrial facilities or presses category for the Arena Marcel Dutil, St-Gédéon-de-Beauce, Quebec, Canada. The building is owned by the Municipalite St-Gédéon-de-Beauce.

The ASHRAE Student Design Project Competition challenged teams of students to create an integrated sustainable building design as well as select and design HVAC&R systems for the Drake Well Museum located in Titusville, Pa., the site where Edwin L. Drake drilled the world's first oil well in 1859 and launched the modern petroleum industry. First place in HVAC System Design is awarded to Holly Brink, Michael Crabb, James Dougherty, Andrew Gilliam and Gina Halbom of University of Nebraksa-Omaha. First place in HVAC System Selection is awarded to Lynn Gualtieri, Evan Oda, Kristin Porter, Navid Saiidnia, Jeffrey Wong and Cameron Young of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Calif. First place in the Integrated Sustainable Building Design is awarded to Qi Te, Zhang Qiqi and Chen Yuanyi of Tianjin University, China.

The John F. James International Award is given to an ASHRAE member who has done the most to enhance the Society’s international presence. The recipient is Edward Ka Cheung Tsui, managing director, Intelligent Technologies, Ltd., Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

The E.K. Campbell Award honors outstanding achievements by engineering educators and is presented by the ASHRAE Life Members Club. The recipient is Wayne Helmer, Ph.D., P.E., professor of mechanical engineering, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, Ark.

Seattle AIA - Medical Forum

Medical Design Forum and Project Tour

Presented in collaboration with the Architecture in Health Panel (AHP)

Healthcare providers’ budgets are shrinking and are expected to shrink in the foreseeable future. Our clients demand that we prove that every dollar spent is justified. Research provides architects with the justification necessary to prove that what we design actually adds value to the bottom line. This conference will deal with incorporation of research into design practice: finding resources, application and initiation of research within the practice.

Program features a project tour of Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup on the second day (transportation provided).

Date
Day 1: February 9, 8a-5p

Reception 5-7p

Day 2: February 10, 8a-noon
Tour: noon-5p

LocationDay 1: 
Puget Sound Energy (PSE)
355 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue
East Building

PRESENTERS INCLUDE (to date, subject to change)

Keynote Speaker:

Mardelle McCuskey Shepley FAIA, BA, MA, MArch, Darch, ACHA, Associate Professor Texas A&M University School of Architecture

• Tom Clark AIA, Principal, Clark/Kjos Architects, Chairman at AIA Academy of Architecture for Health Research Initiatives Committee
• Phil Duff AIA, Principal, NBBJ and Jacob Simon, Design Lead, NBBJ
• Ihab Elzeyadi, Professor and Director, High Performance Environments Lab (HiPE) at University of Oregon
• Daniel Friedman FAIA, Dean of the College of Built Environments (formerly the College of Architecture and Urban Planning) at the University of Washington
• Duane Jonlin AIA, Energy Code and Conservation Advisor for Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development
• John Nowak, Performance Improvement Officer, Jefferson Healthcare

COMMITTEE CHAIR

R. David Frum AIA, C L A R K // K J O S ARCHITECTS, LLC

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION GO TO: 

http://www.aiaseattle.org/medical2012

THANKS TO OUR MEDICAL FORUM SPONSORS

 

 

 

Lease Crutcher Lewis
Skellenger Bender P.S.
Sparling
Wood Harbinger

MEETING SPACE GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY

Government Affairs

Attention Puget Sound ASHRAE Members:

Mark Wills, ASHRAE Manager – State and Local Government Activities, forwarded the following email regarding opportunities for STEM engagement coming up for discussion next week in Olympia.  Please click on the links for HB 2209 and SB 6041 below to read the bills in their entirety.  These 2 bills directly impact the upcoming workforce in our industry and you are encouraged to respond to your legislators.

Thank you,

Leslie Jonsson

Puget Sound ASHRAE Advocacy Chair
______________________________________________________________________________

Washington State chapter leaders-

I have been reviewing legislation introduced in the first few days of your state’s legislative session and two bills speaking to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education are coming up for committee discussion next week:

·         If enacted, HB 2209 (being heard in the House Education Committee at 1:30  p.m. on the 20^th) would add STEM-related curricula as mandatory for credits in alternative learning environments.

·         If enacted, SB 6041 (being heard in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee at 8 a.m. on the 18^th) would allow elementary schools to serve as “lighthouse” schools as exemplars of best practices in the teaching of STEM subjects. In addition, the bill would establish a dedicated state account for these schools at all levels (it appears to me that, currently, the “lighthouse” program has no specified funding mechanism).

I don’t know if you have an interest in being engaged on this issue, which is a high-level advocacy priority for ASHRAE, but if you’d like to to learn more about ASHRAE’s position on STEM-related issues or wish to become involved in more direct advocacy on either (or both) of these bills, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

Thanks in advance for your attention.

Regards,

Mark Wills, Manager - State and Local Government Affairs

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
1828 L Street N.W Suite #810 Washington, DC 20036
Direct Line: 202-833-1830 ext 2003     

Fax: 202-833-0118    

eMail: MWills@ashrae.org     

Web: www.ASHRAE.org

TAG Meeting Cancellations The Mechanical Code Technical Advisory Group and Plumbing Code Technical Advisory Group meetings scheduled for Wednesday, January 18 have been canceled. The meetings will be rescheduled for some time in February. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If additional information is needed, please contact staff at (360) 407-9280.

Job Posting - TROX USA

TROX USA, Inc. - Regional Sales Manager for the West Coast

Position:              Responsible for driving the revenue of TROX products through independent distribution channels, oversee distribution business strategy and execution, working with principals and sales engineers, Interact directly with customer base in territory (consulting engineers, owners, architects, contractors), provide marketplace presentations and support of new technologies, leverage corporate resources as needed, provide product, application, pricing and sales support for assigned region and other US territories as needed.

Requirements: Minimum 5 years HVAC industry experience, possess professional selling skills and ability to influence, proven track record of growing sales, financial acumen and engineering degree preferred.

Compensation: competitive compensation and benefits package, plus a bonus structure based on regional and corporate goals and a car.

For consideration, send resumes to resumes@troxusa.com.

ASHRAE - Government Affairs Update

Happy Friday the 13^th and welcome to ASHRAE's Government Affairs Update! Along with the Government Affairs Webpage, these periodic Email updates feature information on government affairs-related activities of interest to ASHRAE members and others interested in the built environment. Archives of previous updates are available from the Government Affairs Webpage (http://www.ashrae.org/advocacy).
Please pass this information on to interested colleagues who also may subscribe from the ASHRAE Government Affairs Webpage. Should you wish to unsubscribe, information appears at the end of this Email.
If you have any recommendations regarding content, or have questions about or would like to participate in Washington Office activities, please contact ASHRAE Government Affairs staff at (202) 833-1830 or washdc@ashrae.org.
ASHRAEGovernment Affairs Update, 1/13/2012

·         State Legislatures Convene, Address Top-Line ASHRAE Policy Concerns

·         U.S. House and Senate Members Return Later this Month; Congressional Staff Peer Into Legislative Crystal Ball for 2012

State Legislatures Convene, Address Top-Line ASHRAE Policy Concerns

There is a buzz in state capitols right now as legislatures from coast to coast are beginning their 2012 sessions. To date (January 13), 33 of the 47 legislatures (including the District of Columbia’s Council) meeting in regular session this year – the legislatures in Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas are not slated to meet in 2012 – have convened and are already discussing measures of import to ASHRAE at both a Society and chapter level.

As has been reported in past Updates, at ASHRAE’s Annual Meeting last summer in Montreal, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to develop grassroots advocacy programs at the state, provincial, and local levels within the Society’s membership. We are working to mobilize ASHRAE chapters and members in encouraging adoption of ASHRAE standards in their states, provinces, cities, and counties, as well as other public policies in line with ASHRAE advocacy priorities, including (but not limited to):

·         Building energy codes;

·         Building energy disclosure;

·         Engineering licensure (e.g., “Master’s or Equivalent” [as outlined in the November 18 Update], continuing education requirements, etc.)

·         Measures related to a higher-performance built environment; and

·         Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education initiatives.

By utilizing a new legislative monitoring service, ASHRAE Government Affairs staff has already identified nearly 400 state-level measures that address the above issues, with a view toward acting as a centralized resource and clearinghouse of legislative information to ASHRAE regions, chapters, and members so that all can help to shape positive public policy.

If you would like to be kept up-to-speed on the policy issues that matter the most to the HVAC&R professional in your state or region, please contact ASHRAE’s Government Affairs Office at washdc@ashrae.org or call (202) 833-1830 and ask for Mark Wills (Manager, State and Local Government Affairs).

U.S. House and Senate Members Return Later this Month; Congressional Staff Peer Into Legislative Crystal Ball for 2012

U.S. House and Senate members are back in their states and districts, meeting with constituents and campaigning, while their congressional staffers back here in Washington, DC are trying to see through the political fog and find a path to a legislative win for their bosses. Clouding their view are the upcoming U.S. Presidential and House and Senate elections, and President Barack Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address and his budget request to Congress, both of which will outline the President’s 2012 legislative priorities.

Given the high degree of partisanship within Congress and between the President, there will likely be few chances for large-scale legislation to pass, and yet there will be opportunities. For instance, some Senate leaders would like to block out time to debate energy efficiency legislation on the Senate floor, and are meeting to discuss this in greater detail in the coming weeks. The exact legislation is yet to be determined, but there is a fair likelihood that it could resemble the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S.1000), which ASHRAE and a large number of technical societies and organizations have been working on since April, 2011.

2012 is shaping up to be an interesting year, and even legislation that doesn’t pass will help set the stage for 2013.

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ASHRAE Washington Office
1828 L Street, NW * Suite 906 * Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-1830 * fax: (202) 833-0118 * washdc@ashrae.org
http://www.ashrae.org/advocacy

City of Seattle - Green Building EVOLUTION

Seattle’s Green Building EVOLUTION

The City Green Building team takes an exciting new step in 2012. Beginning in January, part of the “green team” will join forces with the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE). Staff focused on policy development will become part of OSE, and those focused on green codes and permitting will stay with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), as part of the Operations Division. As this next step unfolds, both DPD and OSE will continue to develop and implement innovative approaches to building sustainable neighborhoods. 

City Green Building’s mission -- making green building standard practice -- has held fast over ten plus years. The City of Seattle’s legacy as a national leader has fostered local adoption of green building practices, moving beyond the early adopters to the mainstream market. “Seattle’s green building growth has been exponential.  Given the current level of green building expertise and innovation in the private market and in regional organizations we need to continue to evolve our vision and approach,” said Sandra Mallory, Program Manager for City Green Building. “If we are to achieve a climate neutral Seattle, then our green building policies and initiatives need to fit within a broader context.” 

 The evolution of the green building program naturally led to greater coordination with the Office of Sustainability and Environment, the City’s primary office for urban sustainability policy development. “Over the past years, the green team and OSE have worked closely together on numerous initiatives, including co-leading the Green Building Task Force which in turn led to programs like Community Power Works, Energy Benchmarking and Priority Green permitting. Consolidating our efforts will better align work in overlapping areas and allow the City to expand our work on environmental priorities,” said Jill Simmons, Director of OSE.

Within DPD the green team has worked to support both typical and advanced green building projects through education, incentives and program development. “DPD has been a long-standing advocate for green building from within City government. We have invested in our staff – teaching green building strategies so that our reviewers are ready to help applicants when they come in,” said Diane Sugimura, the Director of the Department of Planning and Development. “We remain committed to removing barriers to green building and encouraging innovative sustainability practices.”

In 2012 DPD will remain focused on growing green permitting, on supporting the Living Building Challenge pilot and on evaluating the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) for potential adoption in Seattle. Planning staff will work closely with OSE to implement land use policies that advance green building.  Green building staff in OSE will be working on implementing the Sustainable Building and Sites policy, development of a city Resource Conservation Plan, and providing ongoing management and support of the energy benchmarking program and the 2030 District.

For more information about these efforts, please visit the following websites.  

Office of Sustainability and Environment:  www.seattle.gov/environment

Seattle Green Building:  www.seattle.gov/greenbuilding

Priority Green:  www.seattle.gov/dpd/prioritygreen

For more information:

Rebecca Baker

Rebecca.baker@seattle.gov

206-615-1171